[closed] Beginning Anew

Kaya slowed to a stop, her chest heaving as she fell flat onto her back with her arms and legs sprawled out. She stared up at the sky overhead while breathing heavily. Drunk with the lack of oxygen and the adrenaline surging through in her veins she turned her head towards Gabriel as he spoke, laughing lively at his turtle comment.

After a few moments she was able to catch her breath and she did a backwards roll onto her feet, ready to follow Gabriel's lead again. She nodded when he explained to her their agenda for the next day. When he mentioned she would have to accompany John she couldn't help the sudden swell of anxiety in her pit of stomach. Meeting and getting to know another stranger and having to socialize with them terrified her. "Calm down. You can do this. It's not like he is going to try and kill you. and even if he tried, you know full well that can survive. You have the skills equipped to fight...being social. well. That is going to take some practice, Kaya...Remember. Be functional as a team but keep your distance and you will be fine.

She followed him inside the dark house, careful to place her footsteps where Gabriel had placed his to avoid making any unnecessary noise to announce their presence. While they investigated the main room of the house, Kaya took note of a pile of British Pounds on the dusty table. She raised an eyebrow. Was that significant? She wasn't sure, but she figured Gabriel knew John better.

Before they climbed the flight of stairs, Gabriel turned back towards her and brought his index finger to his lips. She nodded, understanding and kept her hand hovered over her tomahawk, ready for any sign of an attack or ambush. Once they reached the top of the stairs, again there was no sign of life only one door that was left cracked open. Kaya watched Gabriel inspect the door frame for what she figured to be traps or trip wires. Clever. I might not have thought of that on my own...I must be getting soft. I need to start sharpening my senses if I am to be part of a pack here, she thought critically to herself while they entered the room, finding the man named John laying unconscious and face down. Dead? There wasn't any blood, or sign of conflict. Poison maybe? She held her breath, standing behind Gabriel while he reached down to check the unconscious man's pulse at his wrist. He gave her a puzzled look and shook his head. Not dead, passed out?

He called John's name a couple times, the second time a little bit louder than the first. He shrugged at her before the back of his hand smacked across John's face. Kaya blinked a few times while John came to and offered her hand to him to help him back up. "Are you alright?" she asked.

John looked at the woman, confused. "Umm...yeah, yeah, I'm fine. It's...a long story." before taking her hand and pulling himself up. "Thanks, by the way, who are you exactly?" John asked, a little puzzled, trying to avoid looking at the room itself, the last thing that anyone needed was for John to have another panic attack. He looked at her and tried to get down what he saw. Okay, she looked like she was a native, the attire suggests she's an assassin and her wrists looked to have the same kind of top as most people with hidden blades have. Okay, looked like she wasn't a bad person, especially since she was with Gabe...

"My name is Kaya," she gave him a nervous smile. "You must be...John...? she glanced at Gabriel for confirmation and then turned her attention back to John. "Gabriel mentioned you have decided to join the Brotherhood. Welcome, brother. It is nice to properly meet you." Sweat formed on her palms and brow, her heart fluttering in her ribcage. Was that correct way to speak? Did I use the right words? I am so horrible at this... her thoughts raced. Golden eyes flicked away shyly as she swallowed. Her mouth suddeny had gone dry and she let a small cough escape.

Gabriel watched the exchange between the two and shuddered inside slightly. Kaya was extremely shy with new people it seemed. Typically so was Gabe. So the group was comprised of two social outcasts and a blundering psycho.

They were off to a good start...

When Kaya looked over at him, he could only assume she was looking for reassurance as to if she was speaking correctly.

He gave her a tiny nod. But what did he know about talking to people. It was laughable. But he didn't laugh.

Gabriel Winters didn't laugh.

...Except for that time several minutes ago with Kaya....

..........and when he got nervous talking to people.............

Recover Winters... eyes on the prize.

"What happened John. Why were you on the floor?"

Well done...

John looked at Kaya before chuckling and nodding. "Indeed I have, and it's nice to meet you, Kaya. Also, don't be afraid to speak in a proper way to me, you're not a white American, you're a native. Just speak how you wanna speak, so long as it's in English I don't care myself." John said with a reassuring smile, before Gabe asked him what happened. John sighed. "Okay...now, Kaya, you might not know this but...basically, Gabe, you've obviously seen how insane I am, and you've probably guessed by now that this place....means a lot to me, my childhood...in a bad way. That's because before this was abandoned...this wasn't a house, it was an apartment building as I said, for the poor. I lived here with my mother and step father for years in this place and...it's not exactly a place which has a lot of great...memories for me. Every day, I had to listen to that dirty bed over there." John began to explain before pointing at the bed. "I had to listen as it creaked up...and down...and up....and down, while my stepfathers grunts and laughs of enjoyment was heard...but that wasn't what...echoed through this place. What echoed was the...fucking ear piercing screams from my mother as she was raped by him, day after day after day...before eventually, he stabbed her, with a butchers knife and raped her, anally with the knife stuck in her. That was...when I snapped. When I went truly nuts." John continued, before pointing to the space in the wall that looked like it could fit a window. "There, I tackled him through a window, right there, I killed him and watched as my mothers pain and suffering came to an end. I was left with...nothing." John simply said, looking down. "The memories of...this place, it just...became too much for me to handle. I...I fainted." John explained, looking up.

Kaya nodded, her cheeks flushed as she practically bored a hole into the floor with her flustered stare. Oh what I wouldn't give to melt into the ground right now... She shuffled her feet slightly, feeling restless. As he continued on to explain his background with the building she began to grow very still, shocked by his words. How awful... Her gaze wandered to the bed, the mattress sunken in and covered in a healthy coat dust.

Gabriel listened to John's telling of his childhood, glancing slightly over at the bed that he gestured at.

The story was enough to explain John's questions about himself. He wanted to know if he was a good man because he'd never had a proper example of what one was. He wanted to be an Assassin because he needed purpose, having never been given that either. Something a father should have done.

Instead, his step father had brought out all that was evil in the world for a young boy to view in its glory.

I see... Now the question is... what should I do about that?

Gabriel waited for John to finish, carefully avoiding Kaya's gaze. He kept his own face a stony mask of misinformation. Would he need to offer John Ambrose pity? A sympathetic hand? He wanted to do just that. To offer understanding where there was none. Gabriel had grown up without parents for a very different reason. The only thing that had separated him from John was that he'd been given purpose early on. What was the proper thing to do in this instance?

Gabe stood, his hood casting a shadow over his eyes as he gazed down at John.

"Get over it." he said finally. His guts churned at the heartlessness of the statement, but he couldn't take back a syllable. He was a leader now. He couldn't go back on his words.

He began to walk for the door, then turned back over his shoulder and offered a dreadfully brief explanation.

"Your past did nothing for you except bring you to where you are. Never allow it to control you. We will be tearing this place down and building a new life on its ashes. Say goodbye to the pain in this place. Anything... can be killed."

His voice was stone cold, lacking in emotion. He had to be hard now. People didn't respect soft leaders. He had never wanted to be a leader, but no one had ever asked him if he wanted to be an Assassin either...

"Go to sleep. We leave for the city in the morning..."

And with that, Gabriel was done. He left the room, left hand resting on the hilt of Reaper at his hip. He went back down the steps and found a fairly comfortable corner to sit in. As he sank down to his rear he felt his soul hurting. Is this what it meant to be a leader? To make cold calculations?

Maybe it wasn't what John had wanted to hear from me... but it was what he needed to hear. He has to be strong. The past cant control us. If it does, he will be lost in the most inopportune moment. It's for his growth...

He wished Kaya would come sit with him for a while longer. But realized how silly that notion was. He'd met her hours before. What companionship did she actually owe him? They'd shared a single moment of exhilaration together. She was hardly romantically entangled, nor obligated. He shook his head and snorted in disgust at himself as he pulled his hood down further to mask his features in the dark room.

He'd changed so much since coming to America. Where would the changes stop?

John's eyes shot wide open, before he quickly followed Gabe, taking deep breaths, trying to remain calm. He followed him down the stairs, before getting right into Gabe's face about what he said, rage going through his mind, his heart pumping as fast as possible. The thing was, John actually didn't properly get mad as easily as he used to. But one mention of his family that wasn't a sympathetic one to John...that was enough to get him absolutely fuming.

"I had to watch as my own mother, the only person I've ever cared about got anally raped every single fucking day of my life for years on end which led me to the point of insanity and you have the fucking balls to tell me to get over it?" John spat, anger in his voice. "No, you don't just get over it, you obviously wouldn't understand, look at you, you're a heartless son of a bitch, but I see that look in your eyes, you look at us both with a heartless and emotionless stare. You don't know what that's like, to watch as the one person you cared about be tortured. It isn't as simple as to fucking get over that, how funny...you walk around me and act like I'm the insane one. But look at you, you're a fucking machine, you've never experienced what it's like to be human, you coldly tell me to get over myself but it's because it's the only thing you know....question, Gabe...I'm the man who has the mentally scarring past....you're the one who's lived a life to be raised as a machine and you think that's okay...tell me, which one of us do you really think is the insane person?" John asked, right in Gabe's cold stare....

"We are all a little insane...if you get down to it." Kaya's voice was small, standing behind John with a hand on her hip. "We all have pasts and ghosts. We all have stories both good and bad. Among my people, stories are a huge part of our culture. Yes, in a way our pasts serve us nothing more than bringing us to our present...but they are still a part of us. They are an important part of who we are. John. What happened to you and your Ista,...um I mean...mother, was a tragedy. I am so sorry for your loss...but sympathy will not change what happened...wallowing in whatever you feel, will not change what happened either. They only way to heal is to accept the past as past and keep moving forward into the future. Be the man that you think your mother would be proud of. You hold the power to become a good man, if you chose to follow that path that is."

Her voice trembled. That was the most she had spoken in years and she wasn't entirely sure if was even the right thing to say. For all she knew, it could backfire...but in some ways she could understand how John felt: letting the past rule your present, letting it poison you to the point where you become blinded by rage and revenge you can barely function. Nine years of solitude after the destruction of her village taught her that staying angry solves nothing and coming out of solitude was currently teaching her that hiding yourself away also solves nothing. Moving forward was only way to truly live.

Her chest heaved. Maybe it was mistake to speak and she braced herself for whatever came next, her gold eyes bright and gleaming.

Gabriel glanced up at John, still unemotional.

After both John and Kaya had spoken, Gabriel stood from his corner.

"Your past has brought you here. To this moment." he said again. "Would my offering you sympathy bring your mother back? Would it allow you to bring your step father back to kill him again I ask you? Would my pity wash away your memories?" Gabriel said, his voice taking an edge of irritation.

He advanced slowly on John, Reaper held in a firm grip at his waist, sheathed.

"I told you before John Ambrose, you chose a difficult life. To be an Assassin is to know pain."

He pulled Reaper from his belt and pointed at Kaya with the hilt. "To be one of us.. John Ambrose.. Is to live pain. Do you think, that if I felt sorry enough for myself for not getting here fast enough, that any of my brethren would still live? Do you suppose that my Mentor would be standing here beside me?

No!

You are haunted by memories! Ghosts from your past haunt you because you allow them to. Your "insanity" is nothing more than a poor excuse for you to hide behind when you go on your whoring and drinking escapades. Stop blaming the world for your problems John! The world doesn't give a damn about you. The people responsible for your misery are dead! So again. Get over it. Move on. The difference between a murderer and an Assassin is that one has the courage to face their demons and destroy them. The other just uses them as an excuse to continue breathing. I am to train you how to survive. How to be one of us. I will not hold your hand. I will not rub your back when you vomit and whisper soothing words in your ear. You want to learn? Then learn. Now..."

Gabriel pushed his thumb up and ejected Reaper an inch from it's sheath.

"I leave you with the choice. Move on, and go to sleep. Or draw your blade, and be instructed on exactly how little you know about me....

Choose."

"And there you go." John looked at Gabe. "Any show of disagreement and you draw your sword and try to get me to practically do something more suicidal than anything I've ever done in my life." John simply said, tossing his machete to the floor. "I've been trying to "get over it" Gabe for years on end now. I am trying to get over it, and I'm actually not doing that bad of a job. Since I was able to take off the insane mask that I had, when you saw me wearing a vest and arm wraps with a massive fringe. I am getting over it, but guess what, being that cold and that calculating isn't gonna do anything to help. If anything, it'll do the exact opposite. I am destroying my demons, Gabe, but with a past like mine, it takes time. That's what you don't realise. Now...as I said, the thing is. I really don't think we're all that different are we...? We're two men, who were born into two different lives that no child should experience and those lives have made us into who exactly?" John asked, his voice now completely calm "Exactly...it made us into the people standing here, right here, right now. However, here's the difference between me and you. I don't play games, what you see with me is what you get. If I was a person raised in Japan and came to America, I wouldn't try to speak American, I would speak how I want to speak. And I would much rather...be hated for who I am, than be loved for something I'm not." John continued, picking up his machete sheath. "Now, the question is, while we may or may not be the same...you didn't answer my question. Which one of us do you reckon really is the insane one here?" John asked before getting into a...rather sloppy fighting stance with his sheath. "But you know what? I need to learn how to fight somehow. But I'm not a dumbass, Gabe, take out Reaper, chuck it on the floor, sheath versus sheath." John requested.

A disapproving click of Gabriel's tongue indicated his displeasure.

"I apologize if I somehow expressed anything other than clear intent to you John Ambrose." He said, obviously reaching the limitations of his patience.

"Perhaps we may one day stand on an even footing in this world. But today is not that day. You asked for instruction into our ways, and then immediately balk at the first sign of adversity. Did you suppose ours was an easy regiment? Were you somehow misled to believe that you would be able to set the terms of your instruction? You take me for some kind of animal, blindly charging forward in the world. But this is a world you do not yet understand. I owe you no explanation for any action I have taken. The only thing you have received from my hand has been charity thus far."

It was almost like dealing with a child, he thought.

"What was said to you was harsh. But this is the fact you will need to accept. The era we occupy is not a nice one. You say that you are moving on, but you stand on the breach of change and hesitate when you should move forward. You question when you should simply accept what is. You haven't moved on with your emotions in years because you cling to fear instead of grasping the hand of confidence that would pull you into the realm of knowing.

Now perhaps it is my ignorance of this land and it's customs. But where I came from it is considered a severe insult for an initiate to challenge his instructors in the manner which you now stand before me. Allow me to reiterate John Ambrose. You asked me. I did not ask you. I am not going to show you things you want to see. I am not going to stand idle while you curl into a fetal posture and cry. Life, is a contract of acceptance. And Fate, rarely calls upon us at a time of our choosing. Do I think you are a.... what did you call it? A dumbass? No. Yet you think to dictate the terms of our association. So I will label you a fool.

You do not step into this arena and issue the rules to a game in which you know nothing. You, John Ambrose, do not have the authority to issue commands to me. I lead, you follow. This is how things work. I do not have the luxury of offering a democracy in which you can challenge my teachings openly. Don't like how I do things? Pick up your blade and change things. You and I both know that that would be a death sentence, so you have the choice before you. Fall in line, or get the Hell out of my way.

We are at war. The Templars press against us on all fronts and I haven't the time nor inclination to take you by the hand and raise you to new heights for your mental well being. I will tell you what I think you need to hear. It doesn't matter if you agree with me. It does not matter if you don't like my methods. You will take them or you will not. If you do not, then you do not belong here.

Now, the hour is late, and I have much to do on the morrow. So for the last time. Stand down, and do not challenge me again. Or pick up your blade and hasten your death.

This is your last chance, and your last warning. Now choose."

Gabriel was furious. He hadn't chosen to be placed in the position of tutor. He had work to do. And yet at every turn, he was being questioned. Why did John think that he could just demand anything from him? Was America so different that children were made to believe that they were better than their instructors?

It didn't matter in the end. John would choose. Gabriel hoped he would choose correctly, but would not hesitate or show any mercy, if he did not.

He did not owe John anything. Least of all an explanation.

This was not a game to him.

But while he was raging in his soul, none of it showed on his face. Irritation was certainly evident in his voice. But that was about it.

John stared at Gabe, blank faced, before his eyes went downwards, sighing, picking up his sword, looking at Gabe...still deciding, before shaking his head and putting it back in his sheath. John then put the machete back at his side and began to walk away. Just as he was about to head out of the room, John looked up and to his left, at Gabe before coldly saying "I think I can safely say that you know exactly why I asked you if I was a good man or not, but now that I look into your machine eyes...I think I can safely say that you are the one person other than me who doesn't know what a good man is, you only know what it's like to be a machine, you're not a man, Gabe, you never have been and I don't think you ever will. You don't know what a man really is, let alone what a good man is." before walking upstairs, going into the room next to his childhood room, sitting against the wall, blank faced looking up at the ceiling, in his mind, thinking about every single word that came out of Gabe's mouth.

Kaya watched the two men in silence. Gabriel's words reminded her of Nehele when he scolded her and pushed her to train harder. Be faster. Be stronger, he would say. Leave your past and fear behind because time and Templars wait for no one.

She hoped John would figure it out, otherwise the healing would never begin for him. Time would continue regardless of his choice to move on or stay stuck in the past. The Templars would inevitably advance and they were running out of time.

She cast her gaze on to Gabriel, pondering to herself. So you fell into the role of the leader. That cant be easy... but you seem to be the only one among us with the most training. I have no idea what this other Assassin's level if skill is...Felicity?  I think that was the name he used...

She turned to leave the building as soon as she saw John disappear up the stairs. Feeling too boxed in inside the building, she decided on finding a tree to sleep in. She sighed deeply. Tomorrow was going to be the start of the series of long days. She might as well try to get some rest.

She scaled the first tree she came to outside the building with ease. She settled onto a branch, her back resting against the trunk and pulled her hood up over her eyes. Her body was exhausted and she quickly slipped into an uneasy slumber.


Kaya wiped the blood trickling down from her split lip with the back of her hand. She had no idea how she was still on her feet. She had been training with Nahele since before the sun had risen. Now, kaya watched it start to dip low behind the horizon.

"Focus, Kaya!" Called a deep, raspy voice in a stern tone. It wasnt long until her attention snapped to the sudden sting across her cheek. The force of the blow caused her stumble a few steps before she regained her balance, her breaths ragged and quick. She gritted her teeth, frustrated and tired. She had been at it for hours...the old man couldn't let her catch her breath? Even for just a moment? She watched him--older man, around sixty or so years or age and dressed in his dark brown and green robes, hood pulled low over his eyes.

He advanced toward her again. Even with his recent bullet wound he still could move with incredible speed. His crutch, that Kaya found and fashioned out of a tree branch for him, was poised high to strike her. Kaya sidestepped his attack and smirked, thinking she had him. She went into to counter but wasnt quick enough.

In no time her feet were taken out from under and she fell flat onto her back hard, knocking the oxygen from her chest. She coughed and sputtered while black spots flooded her vision. "Pathetic!" He cried down at her. "Of course the spirits cursed me to be stranded in the wilderness alone with a weakling like you. You are a disgrace to our village.  Our brotherhood. You will never--"

"ENOUGH!" She screamed and with lighting speed Kaya sprang to her feet and rushed towards her Mentor, twisting her body around to bring her leg at on him with hard kick to his stomach.

He toppled over, crashing to the ground with his face wrenched in pain and clutching his injury. Kaya stood over him, breathing heavy and blind with anger that abruptly disappated when she realized what she had just done. "M-mentor...! I'm--" she immediately began to apologize and rushed to his side.

"No! Don't," He gasped. "Do not apologize." Then he did something she had never seen him do since they fled their hurning home to the wild...he laughed. Now Kaya really thought he was touched in the head....

She took it as an insult. Rage began to bubble back up in her stomach and her fists clenched. "Listen, old man! I have been fighting my absolute hardest with you and now you are laughing at me?!"

His laughter died down, and he smiled at her. Smiled. "Yes. Because now we are getting somewhere..." he struggled to get up and she took his arm to help him. "I knew you had the fighting spirit inside of you. You just needed a little...motivation."

She raised an eyebrow at him. Crazy old fool...what if she severely injured him even more than he was? This is was madness...how could she become an Assassin, like the hooded ones she had always watched and admired when she was a little girl in her village, if he was dead?

"Again." He said, straightening himself and squared his shoulders with her before coming at her again

Kaya woke with a start, disoriented for a few brief moments. Alive? Yes. Hurt? No. Location? She looked around the morning  fog and down at the forest floor below her.

Oh...yes. Tree. How long was I asleep for...? She rubbed her eyes and withdrew her hood to tousle her short hair before beginning her descent.

Gabriel shook his head slowly as John went back upstairs.

And so, you still do not understand. You allow your anger to blind you into thinking you know best. You seek pity in an unforgiving world John Ambrose. What will tomorrow hold for you, I wonder...?

John was dead wrong about him. But Gabe couldn't show that side yet. If ever. Not now. Compassion would stunt John's growth. But he also couldn't allow his student to challenge his authority. Not in a time like now. Not when there was no clear line of succession of leadership within the Order and Gabriel was trying to piece things together one day at a time.

He let Reaper slide down back into its prison at his side and watched as Kaya walked outside without a word. His eyes followed her movements through a window until she disappeared up a tree.

Gabe pinched the bridge of his nose and sat back down in his corner.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day. He settled in and closed his eyes...

--------

The cold assaulted his skin every second of every day that he was out here. Had his Master left him for dead?

No. Tanaka was no fool. Gabriel was his most promising student. This was another test... it had to be.

Gabriel opened his eyes at the sound of footsteps crunching on snow just outside of his cave. Slowly, His vision came into focus.

He was sitting cross-legged before his pitiful fire. Naught but a breech cloth to cover his modesty. Before him, he held his hand knife-straight with his index and middle fingers stock straight and his thumb holding the other two digits down, roughly at the height of his navel. A meditation pose.

"You master the cold now as well, young shadow." The hooded and robed man said in Japanese.

Gabriel was exhausted, frozen, hungry and ill tempered. But he nodded once in response. He did not ask if his trial was over. If it was over, the man would tell him.

"Most do not survive this long, young shadow." he continued. "Most come off of the mountain and back to the clan by now. Some still make it to join us. Why did you not? Are you not hungry?"

Gabriel was slow to blink, he was slow to respond. But he cleared his throat carefully and made sure his teeth didn't chatter in his response.

"I was given a task... I would see... that the task is done to completion... Master Shugo." He said in tongue.

Shugo smirked, then pulled his thick cloak off, exposing bare arms. Muscled arms. The man looked as if he were cut from iron. He walked to Gabriel and gently threw his cloak around the eighteen year old's shoulders, making sure it was closed in the front so the wind would not cut through.

He then sat down before Gabriel, blocking the fire, and began to rub the young man's shoulders and arms through the cloak, helping to restore circulation to his limbs.

"Do you know what today is, young shadow?" Shugo asked.

Gabriel couldn't speak anymore, his lungs were so cold. So he simply shook his head to the negative.

"It is your birthday. You are now a man, and have earned the right to stand with us, so long as you pass your final trials. Master Tanaka is a hard man to please, but he sent me in his stead to congratulate you on surviving. He has given me permission to extend you the privilege of choosing who you are in this world. Do you understand?"

No. Gabriel did not understand. What did that mean? Choose who he was in the world? He was an Assassin. Or he would be soon. He shook his head again, now unable to keep his teeth from chattering.

"You came to us as Gabriel Thale. The name of the ones who gave you life. But they are dead and you are alone. As a man in this world, you may choose a surname more suiting to your disposition. What would you have the Brotherhood call you, young shadow?"

Gabriel thought silently for a moment, save for the chattering teeth and his body shaking uncontrollably. When Shugo scooted back and offered him some bread from the pack he had brought, Gabe gave him the coldest stare he could muster.

He'd been put through the coldest Hell imaginable. Every scrap of his survival training and instincts had been used to keep him alive. But even then he'd been so close to death. The winter snows brought death whenever they came. Life ceased in the winter.

Gabriel was going to be death. He would be the cold, bitter steel in the night for the Templars and the enemies of the Brotherhood.

"Winters..." he said finally. "I will be Gabriel Winters..." he almost choked on his words, but he made himself understood.

Shugo's smirk widened. He stood and offered a hand to his young charge.

"Well then... Let us go, Gabriel Winters of the Brotherhood. I'd just as soon see you back before a proper fire before your skin turns the color of your eyes. Your final tests await.."

Gabriel took his hand, emotionless. Cold... freezing...

-----------------

His eyes snapped open as a shaft of sunlight bore down on his face through the window.

He was fully awake by the second blink of his eyes. Without thinking about it, he stood and went to the table in the center of the main room, and began to pack up the money so they could take it with them. As soon as that task was finished. He walked out the front door and took care of his nameless horse.

When his preparations were made, Gabriel led his steed around the back of the house where Kaya had been sleeping in her tree. He looked up and saw her looking right back. At seeing her eyes, his stomach fluttered slightly. There it was again.

He simply nodded to her in greeting.

They would wait for John to wake and get the wagon before setting out. It shouldn't be too long though. The trio would need to find something to eat before long.

John didn't sleep through the night, instead of sleeping John went downstairs and went for a walk in the wilderness nearby. He walked, alone, in the wilderness for hours on end until sunlight gleamed through the leafs on the branches around him. While he walked, he had to think, long and hard. Long and hard about what Gabriel had said to him. Was it really as simple as he made it seem to be? Could you really move on from your past as easily and as quickly as a snap of your finger? How would Gabe know? The problem was that Gabe didn't understand something. It wasn't about showing sympathy for his past that mattered. John could care less who did or didn't. It was the fact that Gabe didn't understand what something like that could change in the future. Gabe hadn't even held into account that he could be captured and John could be one of his last hopes, yet he might never come because at the end John could hate Gabe's guts.

Gabe hadn't even taken into account that he might be wrong on anything. Gabe seemed to have been trained for every possible scenario, he seemed invincible. Which he wasn't, obviously. John eventually decided to bide his time. If Gabe was gonna mess up, it would happen eventually. However, John had a lot of questions for Gabe. Since what Gabe didn't realise was that John simply wasn't taught to have his kind of discipline. So he wasn't just gonna think that everything Gabe said was right.

John decided after many hours of walking alone to head back to the house. He had only walked in a straight direction so it wasn't hard to find his way back.

When he got there, he didn't say why he had come from the wilderness, he just looked at the two blankly with his sunken and tired eyes for a few seconds before going to get the wagon. He got on, headed to where the two were and just sat there, waiting for them to get on, looking blankly into the distance.

Kaya sauntered up to Gabriel's horse. Smiling warmly at it and taking it's nose gently in her hands, kissing the bridge of its nose while whispering something in her language. The steed nickered softly, swatting its tail a couple times and playing with her hair between its lips.

She giggled, turning to Gabriel meeting his gaze. "This is a very good horse. Strong. Smart and very kind. Take good care of her." she smiled at him and dropped her gaze to her feet, suddenly feeling sheepish for mentioning something he probably thought was was meaningless.

The sound of wagon wheels turned Gabriel’s attention. He looked over and nodded once in approval as John wordlessly pulled up.

Good. He’s taking the initiative. Still looks like he is broken about yesterday though. Let the wounds heal John. A seeping gash will not close on its own. You must sew the flesh together so it can mend. Stop letting yourself bleed. He thought to himself. He of course said none of it openly.

He watched as Kaya came sauntering up. He noticed the sway of her movements, unintentional perhaps, but still provocative in their own way. The gentle and familiar nature in which she interacted with his mount almost elicited a smile from him, but he caught himself quickly and turned his head as he climbed into his saddle.

Gabriel almost offered his hand for Kaya to come up behind him, but again caught himself. She didn’t need to ride double with him, much as he wished for the closeness. There was plenty of room next to John on the bench of the wagon. It would be up to Kaya who she rode with of course. He doubted she had her own horse nearby, else she might have already gone and retrieved it.

Gabe slid his hood down to his shoulders and reached into a pocket to retrieve the length of leather he’d been using. After running his gloved hands through his hair several times, he pulled it back into a long tail and tied it. Even with all of his efforts, he still had several strands fall down over his eyes.  Then he trotted over next to the wagon and leaned down to retrieve his colonial hat. He pulled the tip down low to shield his eyes from the sun.

“Alright. Let us get moving then. There is much to do today.”

As they set off, he began talking to John about his training as if nothing had happened the day before. How they would first work on the subtle side. Even the most overt of Assassins needed to be able to blend in with a crowd. Drawing attention to yourself was good when it was what your aim was. But your mission became ten times more difficult if your target saw you coming from three blocks away. Surprise, Gabriel said, was the primary tool of trade with the Brotherhood. Even overt action, which was where John would be concerned, was made simpler and less dangerous when one took his enemies off guard and didn’t give them time to prepare. Planning was paramount to success, as was patience.

“When we get to the city, we will split. John, your task will be another supply run. We will need survival equipment for the wilderness. Axes, pickaxes, shovels and the like. I do not think we will need to get any more rations, as we have something of a wilderness expert with us whom I am sure knows the finer points of hunting and living off of the land.” He said with a gentlemanly tip of his hat for Kaya.

Should he have been facing her when he did that? There were simply too many things to remember in social etiquette…

“In any event, that will be your task. I will see about narrowing down a list of artisans and workers to contract construction and amenities for the house. New furniture and such, as well as attempt contact with Felicity. Kaya, you are free to travel with either of us. This time though John. Less combat when shopping, yes? We need to remain incognito.”

He hoped she was alright. It should take a lot more than one night by herself to make Felicity Mercer blow a cover. But with the Templars, anything was possible.

John quietly rode, not a word uttering his mouth. He listened as well, but remained mute. Biding his time to talk. Gabe continued to command him on the supply run, which was fine in John's book. After nights like last night...John got pretty fragile. He was in no state mentally to fight anyone. However, when Gabe finished and they rode silently, it took John about 20 minutes before he was able to pick the words to say, each word coming together in his mind...before they formed only three sentences...

"That's fine, but...I'm not gonna just act like last night didn't happen. Gabe, I think me and you need to talk about a lot of things. If we don't...well, whether or not we do could mean life or death for both of us." John calmly, subtly and quietly said, looking up at Gabe, with blank eyes.

Kaya felt a strong tug in her chest to climb up onto Gabriel's horse with him but anxiety crept into her mind. Perhaps he didn't want her so close to him, and she wasn't sure if she even wanted to be that close to him. It felt too dangerous and the uneasy stirring in her stomach told her that yes...it was definitely much too dangerous to be that close. The thought made her uncomfortably warm and she settled on climbing onto the wagon next to John in silence.

She listened to Gabriel instruct them both on their task list for the day while they began their journey into the city. She couldn't help but smirk when he mentioned her hunting and gathering skills. Yes, it was true she knew the land well and could easily identify which plants could be used to salves and medicines as well as which ones were edible or poisonous. She also was skilled in fashioning snares for small game such as foxes, hares or raccoons. She hoped at some point she would be able pass on her knowledge of the land to Gabriel...

She shook her head. and John. Gabriel, John, and now Felicity as well. Stop thinking about him so much, Kaya. You are letting yourself become distracted by this foolish, alluring emotion...Eyes forward. She glowered, keeping her stare straight ahead and avoiding his gaze. Avoid him. When he mentioned her name it yanked her from her thoughts. It was obvious who she had to travel with: John was the safest option however it still didn't avert that pull in her chest to follow Gabriel.

"I will accompany John. We will make sure we gather all the materials we might need for the wild," she announced.

It also allows me to keep an eye on John...and time to prepare for potentially meeting Felicity.

Gabriel nodded in response to Kaya’s comment. He was a bit surprised that she had chosen to travel with John. He wondered if it was to try to get to know him, to keep an eye on him, as he had proven to be a bit sporadic in his mind state. Or, perhaps it was both? Kaya was a mystery that Gabriel yearned to solve. He had no insight yet as to why she was compelled to do what she did. Understanding came only in time though.

He just hoped that he had enough of it left in the world to find the answer.

John, on the other hand was less than thrilled with his current lot. Gabe just shook his head ruefully.

Looks like I am going to have to spell this out then.

“No John Ambrose. We do not have anything to talk about. And it is not for the reasons you think. You and I have nothing to discuss because you have been introduced to a family. The Brotherhood does not keep secrets from one another, therefore anything that needs said, will not be done behind closed doors. Kaya is part of this family now. I was hoping that you would see yesterday for what it was, and not for what you wanted it to be. It appears that you have not. Therefore, I will attempt to explain what happened and why.

First of all. Do not label me as being callous or heartless. You say I am a machine, but you have known me for roughly a week now. You have no idea what I have been through or how hard it was for me. You know nothing of my parentage or if I may have been through the same as you. For the purposes of this conversation though, I will concede that no, I have not been through what you have exactly.

What happened to you in your childhood was horrible. Words cannot accurately describe the horrors you have gone through. A first kill is always traumatic to anyone, and especially so with a young person. The reason for this is because killing goes against the very nature of the human spirit. It tears at your soul. The fact that you had to see and experience what you did to push you to that point is beyond any understanding. What we do as Assassins is nothing short of evil, John. But we perform evil deeds for the sake of Justice and Freedom for all peoples in this world. We strike at the heart of those who would dominate the world and see it brought to heel.

Occasionally this world forces people like us into a position we don’t want to be in. We have to make decisions that are cold or calculated in order to preserve as much life as possible, sometimes at the expense of other life. Last night was your first introduction to that as far as you and I are concerned. I said what I said not because I am unsympathetic to your situation. I wish that there had been one of us there one of those days. One of us who was strong enough to make a difference. Perhaps if there had been, you would not be among our ranks now, called upon to make a difference in a dirty society. But wishing, John Ambrose, does not make something so. I could have said a great many things yesterday. I chose what I did because you need to leave the past in the past. Things like that house are just material objects. They cannot be allowed to hold sway over your senses. You need to be tougher than that, because our enemies will not give respite, as you have seen.”

Gabriel reached behind him under his coat and removed one of the pistols that he had taken from the Vault in Boston.

“This pistol belonged to Orville Cunningham, the man who rescued me as a child and brought me into this life. I owe everything to him. I found him, as you saw, desecrated with a knife through his skull as a message to us. The sight of his remains causes me great anger and grief, and I intend to see his murder avenged. But the anger must not drive me to act hastily. This pistol does not cause me duress to look at because it belonged to my first Mentor. It is a thing, now. A tool, not so interchangeable with another, due to its sentimental value. But a tool nonetheless.

That house is nothing more than a sign that you came from somewhere. We all have a beginning and an end. It is what we do in the middle of that time that matters. For that is where we have the greatest impact. While we occupy that space in time, we cannot allow the past to control us. The past, John, does not affect the future. It has only gotten you to where you are now. I understand you have been trying to recover from the horrors of your childhood. But you will never move on from that until you choose to. To this day, you allow the terrors of the past to haunt your present. But life is as difficult and as simplistic as we make it, John Ambrose. You cannot let go until you choose to do so. It is a conscious effort. Time heals but time mixed with inaction makes a wound fester and rot. It is past time you chose one way or the other. Because you cannot be one of us, if you choose to remain as you were before you and I met. That much is certain. You must choose.”

Gabriel replaced his pistol under his coat in the small of his back.

“In the meantime, John Ambrose, I will instruct you in the way that I know how. My own instruction was heartless. Comradery was hard won. But unlike my own training, you are not alone. I will let you fail only so far as to make you learn from mistakes. Your mistake yesterday was thinking that due to the closeness in our age, you would be able to address me as an equal. But the fact is John, we are not equals. And that is not me putting myself above you for the sake of authority. It is simply a fact. I was trained nearly from birth. My skills honed to precision over decades, my discipline and focus made absolute. That doesn’t make me better than you, it only means that I have reached my potential much sooner due to a difference in circumstances. But that circumstance is what allows me to effectively guide you along the path. The problem is that you don’t realize that difference yet. You know that a fight between us would go poorly for you, but beyond that, you fail to show the proper respect that is afforded to me due to the level of mastery I possess. I do not ask you to call me Master by any means, but you cannot demand things of me. I will teach, you will learn. You will have questions and you may feel free to ask them. But our relationship is not one seen between friends. In truth, I don’t know what it means to have such a thing. This life I have been given to lead has not seen time for the trivialities of a friend. Perhaps in time, we can change that. But for now, you must show proper respect to those who have put forth monumental efforts to get where they are.

Remember this, Deshi ((Disciple)), you have been through Hell to get to where you are now. But yours is but one story among many full of hardship and pain. Give respect where it is due…”

And then he was done. Gabriel said none of it with spite, or irritation. He was talking as if the subject were the sky or the trees. There was no hesitation. No question. He had simply put things out in a manner that he hoped John would understand. Completely brushing off the last comment that John had offered. If it had been a threat, Gabe would see to it. If it was a statement, then time would see the outcome to completion one way or another.

Either way, Gabriel remained unperturbed by it. John was simply ignorant to the ways of the world and must be instructed. It was a simple problem. Simply, that was, only if John took the lessons to heart.

Gabe found himself glancing at Kaya. He realized that she never took her hood down. Perhaps a defense mechanism. It was not uncommon for white men to hold her people in low regard, so to hide such things was likely a necessity. Was it right to bring her along on this trip? Was it needed? Perhaps she would be in needless danger…

No… he thought to himself. She is an Assassin. She is strong.

Gabriel's words were wise and sharp. When he mentioned the word "family", Kaya's heart fluttered. Was that what she was so afraid of? Was that why stayed in hiding for long instead of going into New York to find other Assassin's? Was she afraid of being part of a family again? Family meant relationships. Family meant being close to people. Family mean the potential loss of those people. Family meant pain and suffering. But she never gave it much thought that the Brotherhood was a family of it's own.

After all, it was called a brotherhood. A family of strong warriors; those who had lost their previous families and steered their anger and grief toward the making of a better world. A free world.

It was true...as Assassin's they weren't heroes. They killed to achieve freedom and peace for every soul. The Templars were drunk with power only seeking to control those beneath them to achieve their twisted notion of peace. That wasn't peace at all...

Kaya raised an eyebrow as Gabriel reached behind his back to pull out a pistol. She blinked a few times, only seeing one from a far a very long time ago. They spit fire from their mouths and somehow can drop a man in an instant. She remembered all the blood that spilled out from her friend that night... It was remarkable how much blood could escape from so small a wound. She folded her arms across her chest and tilted her head down slightly to conceal her face a bit more.


Kaya saw now that John was at the brink of that metamorphosis. He held the power in his own hands to choose what his life could mean. He could remain the same, wallowing in his past and his ghosts...or he could take charge, and create his own purpose in life. If he cannot handle the shock of this change then he will never survive the Brotherhood and what we were trained to achieve...He will only become a burden. We do not have time to wait for him to grow...Templars are advancing with each passing day and this land is sitting at the threshold of war...

((D= Seems Felicity missed out on a lot while tailing someone. XD Sorry for the delay..... lots happened in my life that kept me away.))


Sebastian Elsebert....... she had heard that name before. A greedy man, she knew he had worked for the Templars and was crooked.... she had dealt with him with shipments before with the business. The man was prone to keeping things he thought that would bring him money in the thought that they were illegal. It was simple enough though to him claim that something was against the crown and keep it for his own profit. Honestly, the man had been little more than an irritation. At least until now.... now it seemed he was making more trouble than he was worth.... and here she was watching him.

Honestly, the woman would be happier out with her companions, finding this house John had spoken of and seeing what needed to be done to it. But what mattered now was that she did the task assigned to her. Watching this man. Staying in the crowd and avoiding the gazes of everyone, the female assassin found her way to the docks unnoticed. It was a simple task for one as trained as her. Her eyes fell over every little spot until she found somewhere nice.... at least until she spotted her target. Hiding in some barrels that were deemed illegal, she slid into position. The way they were stacked gave her just enough room to hide, watch, and listen. There was plenty of room for her, and she had learned to find comfort in all positions and places.

It was little more than an hour when the harbor master finally showed himself. After sharing a few laughs and some rather foul language with his men, the man made his way to the inside of the warehouse. Well then, it seemed her task was set before her. Getting inside would be easy enough. Waiting until the coast was clear yet again, she slipped out from her hiding spot and using the shadows, effortlessly made her way to an upper window. Holding for just a moment, she made sure she would not cast her presence below to anyone else. Slipping in, she silently let her feet hit the rafters and followed her new target. Hovering over him, she was able to hear and see everything he was saying and doing, and she was taking it all in. For the most part, she could see that he slacked off on his duties. Or rather, he had his underlings taking care of them, the more tedious tasks. About midday, some shady looking men entered the room, bringing bags with them. It was at this time that Sebastian dismissed his men, and was left alone with the newcomers. Listening carefully, she wanted to find out what they were up to.

The men were escorted over to an area of the warehouse that was blocked off by some of the boxes. Moving a few of them out of the way, he showed them to the boxes against the wall, and opened the contents. Sugar, tea, fine hides, even chocolate...... the woman turned her head to the side. Surely he wasn't so smart as to do this all himself. However, after merrily exchanging greetings, the guests picked out what they wanted and then offered her target a very large sum of money. As effortless as it was to sit upon the rafters, it took a lot of patience to sit and listen rather than attacking. It would be easy enough to eliminate them all.... but he had information that they needed.

"Hey Sebastian, did you hear? Miss Mercer is back in town."

"I bet she's waiting on another shipment again. You could make a fine haul with that one, eh?"

The men continued their laughter and she just closed her eyes and let out a silent sigh. Not that she really let these words bother her.... it was the fact that her arrival had already spread all over the town.

"I hear she's still unmarried.... the woman's probably desperate for a man, Sebastian, you may even have a chance at this one."

"Yeah, I hear she's a strange bird. Too smart for her own good I've heard. Someone best to be marrying her and then offing her first chance they got."

Oh, if only they knew the secrets she held..... Once again, being such a high person in the social society, she was used to this. The fact that she was as old as she was and not married was odd enough for rumors to start spreading. The truth was scaring the people off was much easier than getting to know them. Keeping up with conversation of current events, and able to keep up was usually enough, but discussing a book she had read, or the published information from Ben Franklin himself.... well, that led to other rumors as well. No one took her seriously as a woman and half the time, not as a business partner. No one cared that she was smart and charming, and was able to hold her own for as long as she had as the owner of this company... they just saw her as a thing.... something to own to get their hands on her business and the easy life they thought it would lead to. They called her a fool for caring for the people of the town, for helping out those more in need than her, and the dancers, or even the people who traveled putting on a show here and there to earn the money to survive. They were still people.... those that she was sworn to protect. However, in the brotherhood, she was equal.... no one saw her as just an object.... she was an assassin, and a damn good one at that. She just hoped she could find the other two that were still out there somewhere. Why they didn't find her yet made her question everything.... and what of her new companions?

Bowing her head, she took a deep, silent breath and kept her attention to the men. After the chatter about the goods, and a little banter back and forth, they laughed and headed out, bringing back in a few men to help load a cart. They made a promise to be back when the next shipment came in. Laughing, Sebastian produced a small worn brown leather book from the pouch on his hip, and opened it, relaying to the men when the next shipments were due to come in so they could come back. Her eyes fixed upon the little book, and she knew this is what she had to get her hands on. It would be easy enough to get. She just had to wait for the right moment.

After the men were gone for a bit of time, the harbor master left his 'office' and made his way out to the docks. It seems he was looking over a ship, though she was sure it had been there for at least a day. Though she wasn't going to question what he was doing. Slipping out of the warehouse, and to the edge of the deck, she hoped along a few of the tie posts and over to the ship. She did not want to go into the water just in case she had to go back into the warehouse. It would be bad to be dripping while hovering over her prey. Making her way on the edge of the ship, she watched and listened, but he didn't find much on the ship. It seemed the most he came on the ship for was to relieve himself. Turning her head from such a sight, she almost scoffed at the man. He left shortly after, and the rest of the day was him wasting time with his men, before filing a small report and then leaving in the late afternoon.

Needless to say, the woman was happy when he did. The fool that he was at the moment, he didn't notice as she followed him the whole way. As he went down the alley, she trailed behind him until she was able to make her way up to the roof. With the sun beginning to set, it was easy to find shadows, and being up high helped her out, seeing as less people were roaming starting to roam the streets now. In the alley, the man paused and opened the gold he had received, pouring a decent amount into his own pockets before pulling the pouch close again and continuing on his way. He made his way out of the alley and to a house. The exchange was brief, but he met a man at the door of a house and handed over the gold and a parchment. She had to guess those numbers were fake, seeing as he just took some of the gold for himself. A quick exchange, and he was on his way again, heading towards a tavern. It was here that Felicity let out a sigh. This part she hated. Taverns were not her specialty.... but for now, it would have to do. Letting the man go in, she waited a few minutes so as not to seem suspicious, and then followed a small group into the tavern and inn.

Sebastian was already enjoying a drink, and she found a dimly lit corner to take a seat in. The woman ordered a drink, not that she had any plans in drinking it. There was a man that occasionally wouldn't be paying attention, and to make it seem like she was actually drinking it, she would switch her drink with his nearly empty one and order another one. Not that the man would complain if he actually saw what she was doing. As it got a bit later, more people were around, so her movements could be concealed enough. After she was sure that Sebastian had had enough to drink, she made her way closer over to him, acting like she was heading out the door, and stepped what could be uncomfortably close to him. Though in his drunken state, he had no clue. It was a quick movement of her wrist, and she slid her hand into his pouch, grabbing the book, and slipping into her robes. Just as quickly, she stepped away from him, and towards the door. As she stepped outside and into the clean air, she took a deep breath, happy for the fresh air. Slipping into the alley once again, she climbed up to the roof and waited. She really wasn't concerned about him meeting anyone else in the tavern. After all, he was quite drunk for an important meeting.

Her guess had been right. About an hour later, the man stumbled out of the tavern and barely able to stand, he started down the street. This was much much easier now. Under the cover of night, it was thrilling to her to follow him. But her adventure was cut short as he made his way towards his home and slipping inside. It was easy to follow the light as he made his way to his bedroom and fell onto his bed, almost instantly falling asleep. She paused for about half an hour, making sure this wasn't a ruse. Perhaps she was being paranoid again. After she was sure he was off to sleep, she left for her own home to look over this new item she had picked up.

Letting herself in, she made sure her bedroom door was locked before lighting a lamp. She checked in her closet and wardrobe, even under the bed. She really was being paranoid. Sighing, she found a pitcher of water and some bread and scones. A small grin fell over her features. She had a feeling that her most trusted help had arrived and was already looking out for her, without letting anyone else know about it. Pouring herself a drink, she nibbled on one of the scones as she pulled a small key from a pocket and unlocked one of her drawers, moving a few things and then pulling out her glasses. She sighed as she placed them on her face and then opened the book and looked over it. As she thought, his whole schedule was in here. A small grin passed over her face. Well, at least today hadn't been a total waste of time. She would be glad when Gabriel returned to take a look at it as well. She studied it over and over again, easily taking in the meetings and such. It seemed he was meeting someone rather important in the next day. Well, this could prove interesting.

The woman barely slept, and was up and out before dawn broke, moving towards the docks unnoticed, and waited for her target yet again. It would be another long day of waiting, but this evening would prove to perhaps hold some clues. This man would pay.... but not before he outlived his usefulness. Of course she wanted to take care of him.... but not before he helped them get closer to their target. As she watched over Sebastian today, he seemed a bit more nervous. His actions were a bit more rash today, and he barked at his men rather than laughing with them. She doubted it was for his book. He was going over papers, and talking with men that seemed to be wanting to leave the port today.... she really had to begin to wonder if perhaps it was the meeting this evening that was troubling him. For a moment, she wondered how soon Gabriel would return..... not that it mattered much, but it was so nice to be in company with another assassin again. She had missed the company of the other assassins so much. Though she didn't share every little detail, it was nice just to have them around when they were there. But perhaps that was foolish.... he had the company of the assassin guild from the other country.... why he would care about the company of the one assassin he had found alive here was something she needed to take into account.... still.... it was good to have a brother alive again. It gave her hope. Her eyes fell to the harbor master yet again, watching his moves again, keeping her attention on him as best she could as her thoughts chaotically ran through her mind.

John was initially quite surprised by Kaya wanting to go with him, but shrugged and chuckled. "Well, if you wanna come with me, it's your choice. I won't stop ya. Besides, I think it was about time me and you got to knew each other anyway." John simply said, looking at Kaya before Gabe began to explain...

John listened to Gabe's words, showing no signs of emotion, only calmly staring and waiting for him to finish. Before, looking at the sky, thinking about what he was gonna have to say. So he only decided to say what he meant by "life or death". "Okay...I understand that, Gabe, trust me. And I regret everything I said last night, as it wasn't me thinking rationally. But...what I mean, by life and death is this. You acting heartless and cold is something I understand now, so I won't try to change that. But here's my question. Lets say that something between me and you happens, something that causes me to hate you more than I could ever think of hating my stepfather. Because of your coldness that I now expect you to give me, you don't apologize for anything. I'm not saying this will happen at all, this is only a hypothetical theory. But lets say that happens and you get captured. Every single person who could possibly save you is either dead or captured as well...aside from me. But I refuse to help you because of my hatred I have for you. And you'll either spend the rest of your life rotting in some dark and dank room or you'll be killed. That's the two options that could happen at that point. My only question is...lets say that happens. Lets say you get captured after something happens between me and you. And I am your last chance of ever being free again, but the chances I will even try to save you are very small...what happens then?" John asked Gabe, looking at him calmly, patiently waiting for an answer. "I know that this scenario is very unlikely to happen, but it's not impossible." John also added, before Gabe possibly tried to play it off as something unlikely to happen.

Gabriel’s eyes kept scanning the road as they neared the city. He listened to John and was slightly amused by the question he detailed.

Slightly.

He kept his eyes sweeping from detail to detail, ever vigilant of possible ambush spots, choke points or obstructions. He wasn’t being paranoid exactly, he was being careful. It was a trait bred into the core of his being. There was no reason to suspect an attack. But he would keep his eyes open anyway.

“I will give you credit for thinking ahead John Ambrose. A bit too far ahead perhaps, but you can’t be faulted for thinking about it. However, I would like to think that if you were so inclined to the point of absolute hate of my person, that in such a situation you and I would likely be less acquainted and I should have other resources at my disposal to attain freedom.

All eventualities will someday come to pass for one person or another, John. Whether I am imprisoned or all of you should be killed, things will happen as they will. We cannot predict things outside of our control. The eventuality of which you speak would only come to pass given many ‘ifs and maybes’. But you are not seeking a lesson from your question. You want an answer.

My answer to your question is another question, Deshi. If such a circumstance were to pass, what you should be asking is not whether I would be able to depend on your aide. The real question you should ask, is would you be able to live with yourself seeing a man dead when you could have done something to prevent it? Regardless of hate, an undeserved fate is exactly what it implies. I’d like to think that you as a man will have discovered the honor within yourself by that time, as I know you are in search of. Whether you hate me or not John, makes no difference. Because should I be in a predicament such as you describe, I would hope that you would find it within yourself to assess the situation subjectively and to do the right thing. Perhaps it will have been deserved on my part. But if not, I would keep a weathered eye on the horizon for my brethren to spring me from the clutches of bondage. As I too, would do for them.”

When had he started talking so much? Maybe it just came with the territory with being an instructor.

He trotted ahead a few paces and looked back as they approached the city limits. "Get yourselves some food and set about your task. I will meet up with you at noon down at the port. Take caution in your movements however. We don't know how many eyes the Templars have. From the moment you enter the city, assume you are being watched and act accordingly. With any luck, when next we meet I will have Miss Mercer in tow. Shadows hide you both."

Gabriel took off towards the city ahead of the other two. He had to get away from Kaya for a while so he could focus.

The city seemed unchanged in the day that he had been gone. First thing was first though. He needed to find contractors. He asked around with certain merchants around town, some gave him the same names and where to find them, which was a good sign. It meant that they were good at what they did.

As he approached his targets residence though, movement caught his eye. Several British Regulars were dragging a familiar form through the streets bodily between them. Gabriel squinted at the man between them but just couldn't place him from this distance. He looked down the direction they had come and realized it was in the Port. It seemed like all of the comings and goings in the cities these days was by port. Which wasn't particularly unusual seeing that ships were the primary source of trade and income for any coastal city.

He glanced over the ships docked in the harbor. Dozens of ships, large and small. Then large and even larger.

Gabriel frowned and leaned forward in his saddle as he thought he recognized one.

No way... no way that a mans luck is that bad... He thought.

He looked back to the soldiers dragging the man between them. And then he was sure of it.

"Captain Gipson?" he said aloud to himself in confusion.

The ship in the harbor he recognized was the very vessel that he and John had embarked upon from their journey from Japan to America. The Bountiful Yield.

Concern coursed through Gabriel. He dismounted and tied his horse to a post in front of a store front and followed the soldiers on foot. They were leading him to a warehouse near the end of the harbor....

It was curiously on the same block that he had asked Felicity Mercer to investigate.